


Mystery Misadventures

by EmeraldTooth



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: A series of one-shots, Canonical Character Death, Good!Lewis, Just the gang bein' good pals (mostly), Multi, Non-Graphic Violence, PTSD, mostly - Freeform, protect Arthur Kingsmen 2K18, various other characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-05
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-02-10 22:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12921426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldTooth/pseuds/EmeraldTooth
Summary: A series of one-shots and a few multi-part fics all centering around our favorite quartet of supernatural investigators. There will be various themes. Not all of them will include a pairing. Any warnings can be found in the chapter summary.Now playing: Fair day shenanigans





	1. The Wolf (part one)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello one and all! I was just beboppin' around the internet and decided to rewatch the MSA videos for the heck of it and found myself tossed headlong back into this fandom! Things are pretty quiet there, but I needed something to keep me busy while I wait for Hellbent to come out! So here you go! Starting off with a two-parter!
> 
> Chapter summary: Arthur and Vivi are taken by mysterious people in spooky robes. A pretty normal day for the Mystery Skulls. Lewis and Mystery are on their way to rescue them, but not all plans go off without a hitch. 
> 
> Warnings: mind-control. injury/blood.

Lewis woke with a start. Or maybe the right words were 'became aware,' since he couldn't sleep as a ghost. Maybe not even those words were right, because everything was fuzzy and floaty, which was probably why he was currently trying to think of a word to best describe his situation instead of scope out the situation itself.

There was something bright and glittery in front of him. It took the specter a while to realize that it was the chandelier hanging from the ceiling of the main hall of his mansion. Why was he on the floor? Wasn't he just talking to Vivi?

"-ewis, Lewis!"

A blurry white and black shape came into sight, blocking the chandelier from Lewis's view. It took a moment or two for the ghost to realize that the shape was Mystery.

"H-Heeeey, Mys-Mystery...." Lewis stuttered out, surprised by the sound of his own voice. It was distorted and halting, like scratches on a slowed-down record. Mystery's face slowly came into clarity, as if his eyes were having trouble focusing. The dog looked frantic and worried.

"Lewis! Where are the others? Where are Vivi and Arthur?" Mystery asked, eyes wide.

Lewis didn't reply right away. He was too busy sifting through his seemingly cotton-stuffed head for the right answer. Flashes of last night came back to him. He and Vivi were in the study, discussing how his ghostly aura effected electronics, while Arthur quietly added his two cents every once in a while from the couch. Mystery wasn't there, he said he had to go talk to someone. He didn't say who. Then there was a crash from somewhere in the mansion, and they went to investigate. The rest was fuzzy. He remembered running down the stairs leading to the main hall after his friends, and seeing a group of people in dark robes waiting for them at the bottom. One of the strangers pulled something shiny out of their robes, held it above their head, and began to chant. Then all Lewis could see was darkness. He thought he heard Vivi scream his name. Arthur, too. Then, the next thing he knew, the ghost was waking up right there on the floor.

Once Lewis returned from his memories, he saw that Mystery suddenly looked angry. The ghost realized he must've been speaking his thoughts aloud. Mystery snarled and his head vanished from Lewis's sight. The ghost absently thought that he should follow the kitsune, but found that his body didn't seem to be following his orders. He felt numb. Disconnected.

Then, mystery was back with something grey and shiny in his mouth. Lewis recognized it after a sluggish moment of confusion. It was his locket! It was colorless and cracked badly. Even worse than the first time Vivi and Arthur came to his manor. It looked like someone took a sledgehammer to it. How it was still in one piece, Lewis didn't know.

Mystery dropped the locket onto the ghost's chest. "I'm guessing the strangers were from another cult. Possibly allies to the lesser one we came here to bust at the beginning of the week. These guys mean business. The charm they used on you must've been powerful to do this much damage to your anchor. I can fix it, but we'll have to be careful when we go rescue Arthur and Vivi." Mystery explained as he placed a paw on the locket.

The area of contact glowed red, and Lewis immediately became more aware of his surroundings. He could feel his extremities and the numbness started to fade. As soon as his head cleared, the realization set in. His friends were _gone_. Mystery yelped in surprise as Lewis sat bolt upright, dislodging the magical creature from his chest and sending him flying across the room.

"Vivi and Arthur! We have to go find them!" Lewis gasped. The ghost struggled to stand up, but he only got to his hands and knees before he suddenly felt nauseous and he swayed. He absently noted that his hands were dark with plates of bone over the back, knuckles, and fingers, though the sight didn't quite register in his dizzy mind. Mystery was by his side in a flash. His expression was one of annoyance and worry as he easily pushed the unbalanced Lewis over and onto his back again.

"Yes, we will find our friends, but first you need to let me heal your anchor! You're in no condition to help them." The canine scolded.

Lewis huffed angrily, but did as the kitsune told him and held still. Mystery placed his paw gingerly over his heart locket and it began to glow once again. Lewis watched as it slowly turned gold and the cracks vanished.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Mystery stepped away and allowed Lewis to stand. The ghost did so hurriedly, and almost cried out in shock as he was suddenly in the air, nearly colliding with the chandelier. He tried to float gently down to the floor, but that one little push seemed to all but throw him like a sack of potatoes back onto the unforgiving ground.

"Ow ow ow..." Lewis hissed, sitting up and rubbing the back of his head, which he found was a skull instead of his human facade. Once the ringing in his non-existent ears stopped, Lewis pinned Mystery with a glare.

Mystery shuffled his paws and looked away sheepishly. "I guess I gave you too much juice. oops?"

Lewis sighed in frustration and carefully stood up. This time his body obeyed properly. The man dusted himself off before summoning his human disguise. "It's fine. Let's go find Arthur and Vivi. Can you track them?" He asked impatiently as he conjured a pair of sunglasses to hide his eerie eyes.

Mystery nodded. "Those guys left a distinctly nasty aura. I can easily track them."

Lewis put on his sunglasses and marched to the exit without waiting for Mystery. The ghost yanked the door open and squinted against the bright morning light. The sight of the dawn made Lewis's non-existent stomach twist. "How long have I been out?" He asked.

Mystery squeezed between Lewis's legs and ran out the door. "The trail has already begun fading, so it's been at least several hours! We have to hurry!"

Lewis cursed and sped after the dog, barely keeping up even with the extra boost Mystery gave him. The forest Vivi chose to form the manor in flew by in a blur, and the nearby town soon came into view as they crested a hill. Lewis increased his pace, his rage toward the bastards who took his friends from him giving him extra fuel. He was almost past the tree line when Mystery suddenly slammed into him, making him stumble and collide with an oak. All progress halted.

"What the hell, Mystery!?" Lewis snarled angrily as he extracted himself from the sizable dent he smashed into the oak tree.

Mystery was in his full form, huge and intimidating with his teeth barred. His six tails lashed in irritation. "I've been calling your name for the last half mile! You can't just go flying through town like a bat out of hell! You have to calm down!" He growled.

Lewis scowled and floated up so he could be level with the huge magical creature. He knew he lost grip on his human disguise a couple miles back, and with how furious he was now, he was bound to look like something out of hell, that was for sure. "Calm down?! How can I calm down?! It's been _hours_ , Mystery! They could be _dead_ by now! I can't lose them! Not... not again..." the roaring flame covering Lewis's skull and shoulders extinguished and he slumped in on himself. His empty sockets stared at the ground and his frame shook just slightly. "I _can't_ , Mystery. Vivi just got all of her memories back... And Arthur was finally starting to believe that I forgive him. There was hope that we could have that love we had before I died. I don't know what I would do without them, Mystery. I _have_ to find them..." Lewis looked back up at the kitsune, glowing purple tears running down his skull.

Mystery's expression softened and he brushed one of his tails against Lewis's cheekbone, wiping away some of his tears. "I know, Lewis. I'm worried too, but I would have known if they died. They're still alive, we just have to find them." Mystery's eyes grew stern. "Now, we are going to calmly walk through town like a normal person and dog. We are not going to cause a panic, got it? The source of the aura is close. It won't be long before we can kick their asses." Mystery said calmly, but with a vicious glint in his eye.

Lewis took a faux deep breath and concentrated on bringing his disguise back. It took a little longer than usual, as he was still pissed, but he eventually succeeded. He then formed another pair of sunglasses, as his last ones melted right off his face when he blew up at Mystery. Once he was set, Lewis nodded to the kitsune.

Mystery smiled and reverted back to his smaller size. "Let's go," he stated.

With that, the two crossed the tree line and came out in the parking lot of a some local grocery store that bordered the forest. Mystery took the lead again, and Lewis followed close behind.

Even with his disguise and sunglasses, Lewis knew that people still felt that he was off. There was no hiding his spooky ghostly aura. Usually with clients, they were nervous around him for a little while, but his kind, cheerful demeanor eventually put them at ease, almost like it wasn't even there.

Now, however, Lewis' aura wasn't just eerie, it was _burning_. Filled with a fiery rage just under the surface, and maybe a bit above the surface as his hair flickered dangerously, Lewis strode purposely through town. The few early risers who were out and about avoided him like the plague. They would see him coming and either cross the street to avoid him or, for more supernatural-sensitive people, turn and run the other direction in fear for their lives.

Mystery took a sharp left, and the duo walked up a dirt path on a hill. Lewis stared at the building they neared in confusion.

"A church?" The ghost questioned. He looked down at Mystery, who had his nose to the ground as if he was sniffing out the perpetrators. "The cult is in there? But I thought demonic rituals couldn't be done on consecrated ground?"

Mystery looked up at the church as well and cocked his head. "You're right. Unholy rituals of any kind can't be completed in a church that is still marked as holy, and this one certainly is. I can sense it, but I can also sense the people who were at the manor inside," The dog said. He stopped walking and glared up at the church, puzzled. "Maybe we're dealing with something other than a demonic cult."

Lewis looked down at Mystery, confused. "Not a demonic cult? But the cult we came here to bust a couple days ago was a demon cult. Why would this one be something else if they're connected to the other?" Lewis's brows furrowed and his frown deepened. "Or, maybe they aren't connected. But, that wouldn't make sense either. If they weren't in touch with each other, how would this one know about us and, more importantly, know that I was a ghost?" Lewis let out a groan of frustration. "Either way, we have no idea what we're up against, do we?"

Mystery gave a wry smile. "Well, at least we know they aren't going to be sacrificed to a demon lord, right?"

Lewis scoffed before advancing toward the church once again. "With our luck? Not likely."

The church itself was unimposing. Nothing out of the ordinary, really. It was a bit run down, but it didn't look abandoned. It made Lewis wonder how the cultists even went about using the building as their base. Did they have connections to the owner? Maybe the church itself was just a front, but it was consecrated, Mystery said so. No matter what way Lewis looked at the situation, he couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The ghost was startled out of his thoughts by Mystery's head bumping his leg. The dog looked up at Lewis and brought a paw to his muzzle. "We're getting close. I sense that they're in the lower level of the church. There is a cellar door over there," he gestured with his paw at the two wooden doors on the ground, partially hidden by brush. "Turn is invisible and intangible. Let's scope it out before we act."

Lewis nodded and picked Mystery up. It barely even took a thought to become invisible. Usually it took a moment or two for Lewis to get it right. He silently thanked Mystery for the power boost by giving the dog a pat.

The ghost floated toward the cellar doors, keeping an eye out for any guards. There were none, which was odd. The doors didn't even have a lock, but the hinges were rusty and would make a lot of noise. Luckily they didn't need to open them.

Turning intangible was a little harder than turning invisible, especially in his human disguise, but Lewis slipped into nothingness with ease and phased himself and mystery through the doors and floated down the short flight of steps under them. The small room they entered was dark, and the only things in there were a few shelves stocked with bottles of wine and a lot of cobwebs.

Mystery nudged Lewis to get his attention, and gestured to the far wall with his paw. "There's a secret passage." He whispered. "Part of that wall is a door. Give us a peek."

Lewis nodded and floated toward the mentioned wall. Sure enough, he could see a faint seam in the shape of a small door. Staying invisible and turning himself intangible again, Lewis poked his and Mystery's head through the wall.

What lay inside was a huge, dimly-lit chamber lined of desks, bookcases, and shelves stocked with weird plants and things in jars that Lewis didn't want to look at for long. What was strange but expected, was the fact that there were no demonic symbols to be seen. No goat heads adorning the walls, no sacrificial knives, not even a single sigil painted in blood. The last two observations helped ease Lewis's worry somewhat.

In the center of the room stood five people shrouded in dark blue robes. Their hoods were down, but Lewis couldn't see their faces, as they all had their backs to him. He caught glimpses of yellow and bright blue between them as they shifted. Vivi and Arthur were tied up in front of them. They were awake and unharmed, much to Lewis's relief. The robed individuals seemed to be ignoring their captives and muttered among themselves. Lewis looked away from them to scan the rest of the chamber. There were a couple more people standing off to the side in the two far corners of the room. They didn't have robes on, and it didn't take Lewis long to realize why.

"Those two are ghosts." He hissed to Mystery.

Mystery's ears perked at this and he let out a little noise of realization. "This isn't demon cult at all. They're ghost hunters! Well, maybe twisted spectrologists would be a better word. They study ghosts. All of the stuff in the room has to do with making various charms that effect spirits. I can't sense the one they used back at the manor, luckily. They're wearing charms, too. I think they're protection charms. They won't let ghost magic touch them." Mystery's ears drooped. "I can cast some spells on you to protect you from harmful charms, but your magic will be useless against them."

Lewis frowned. "That would explain why they were interested in us, but why would they damage my anchor and kidnap Vivi and Arthur? Wouldn't they want me and not them?"

Mystery opened his mouth to reply, when the robed figures backed up, leaving one man standing in front of them to address Vivi and Arthur.

"This has taken long enough!" The loner shouted in a raspy voice, taking a step toward his captives. "How you two idiots succeeded in binding such a powerful ghost to yourselves is a mystery, but even you must know how to summon it! The spell didn't destroy it. It will still heed your call, so just call it to you already! We aren't above using force!"

Vivi thrashed in her bonds and gave the man a glare. "Listen, buster! I have no idea what you're talking about! What the hell do you mean by binding? Like a contract? We don't deal with demons and we didn't 'bind' that ghost to us! If Lewis doesn't bounce back from what you did to him, so help me I'll bash your head in!" She snarled.

The man growled and shot out a hand, grabbing Vivi by her hair and yanking her head back painfully. Lewis began to shake with rage and stepped into the room, going unnoticed by the robed creeps.

"Listen, girl. You and this sniveling whelp were the only two humans in that house, which means one of you commands the ghost. I doubt the blond idiot is the mastermind, so it must be you! I want that ghost, so I'll ask again," The man turned his head away from her and gestured to another member, who drew a knife from his robes and placed the blade against a wide-eyed Arthur's throat. The leader turned back to Vivi with a vicious grin. "Summon the ghost or your friend dies."

Lewis didn't think his body could be any more tense, but he just proved himself wrong. Red tinged his vision and it took everything in him not to crush the dog in his arms. "Mystery," he bit out through clenched teeth. "Will those charms protect the bastards from my bare fists?"

Mystery wriggled out of Lewis's hold and landed silently on the stone floor. "No, they shouldn't so long as you don't use magic." The kitsune's lips stretched into a grin that was out of place on a dog's muzzle. "I'll distract the leader, you get Arthur away from that knife. Once they're both safely away, all hell will break loose. Be careful and be sure to leave some fun for me." The Kitsune said as he backed into the shadows, leaving Lewis standing there alone.

The ghost felt all of his rage encompass him as he glared a hole through the back of the ring leader's head. Lewis let his magenta flames erupt from his body, incinerating his human visage, along with a few unfortunate book cases that happened to be near, leaving behind his skeletal form. Before any of the robed bastards could turn around, Lewis leapt forward with a roar of outrage.

Instead of colliding with any of his friends' captors, Lewis soared over them and tackled Arthur, who let out a frightened shriek as the ghost collided with him. The man who had the knife to Arthur's neck was kicked away with a powerful blow from Lewis's leg. The ghost used his momentum to roll away from the others, taking Arthur with him. He was careful not to hurt his teammate, but there wasn't much time for gentleness as he shoved Arthur aside and out of danger before diving back into the panic.

Lewis saw that the leader had let go of Vivi, and was now screaming and flailing with a snarling dog's jaws clamped around his arm. The others were busy trying to pry Mystery off. The ghost took the opportunity to grab Vivi and fly back to where he left Arthur.

"Lewis!" Vivi cried happily, grinning. "I knew you'd be ok!"

Lewis didn't reply, his eyes trained on the group of robed creeps as they tried in vain to dislodge Mystery. While they were still distracted, Lewis burnt Vivi's ropes to nothing and quickly moved to release Arthur as well. The poor blond was trembling, and Lewis longed to comfort him, but knew that he didn't have much time before he had to fight.

"You guys get somewhere safe! Mystery and I have got this." Lewis commanded, pushing the two further from him. Vivi opened her mouth to object, but Arthur grabbed her and pulled her away before she could say anything. Lewis nodded gratefully at Arthur, but the blond was already running away.

"Ha! I was right! The girl does control you!"

Lewis spun around and pinned the man who spoke with a fiery glare, standing between the spectrologist leader and his loved ones. The man was holding his arm gingerly as blood dripped to the floor from a nasty bite. Mystery was no where to be seen, but Lewis didn't worry. Mystery was tough.

The ghost calmly studied the ring leader for the first time. He had patchy brown hair that was marred with grey, and a thin, pale, wrinkled face. His eyes were dark and beady. Lewis absently thought with an internal grin that the guy looked like a mangy weasel.

"A level nine vengeful specter. You will be a grand addition to my little gathering, Lewis, was it? Your power is wasted with such a mediocre supernatural investigations team. Those two imbeciles obviously know nothing about how to handle a bound ghost. But I do." The old man said with a wicked grin.

The man snapped his fingers, and Lewis suddenly found himself restrained. He jerked his head to the side and saw one of the ghosts he had noticed before holding onto his arm. Its eyes were hollow as it stared straight ahead, no glowing iris. Only a void of black shadowed by stringy pale yellow hair, where their faintly glowing crescent moon anchor was pinned, dull and grey.

On his other side was another ghost. This one was so gaunt that they might as well have been in their skeleton form, yet its grip on him was firm. Like the other one, its eyes were blank and unseeing, and its anchor was a lusterless orb hanging from a chain around its neck.

Lewis was disgusted. How could someone do this to a ghost? They looked more dead than he did. The old man kept going on about him being 'bound' to Vivi. He guessed that this was what a bound ghost looked like.

"I will put you to good use." The mangy weasel continued, drawing Lewis's attention again. He motioned to the figures behind him and one held out something in a trembling hand, which their leader took.

Lewis tensed, afraid that it was another of whatever it was that nearly destroyed his anchor, but it turned out to just be a bundle of odd looking plants. He recognized one of them as sage, but couldn't identify the rest. Still, Lewis didn't drop his guard.

"But first I must break your ties with the girl. I've found that this method is the quickest." He waved the bundle of herbs at Lewis tauntingly before raising a lighter he extracted from his robes under it. It caught fire easily. "With this cleansing smoke, I release you from the chains around your soul." He tossed the burning plants at Lewis's feet, and the smoke rose around him.

Lewis waited nervously for something to happen, but even after a minute or two, nothing did. He didn't feel any different, and he turned his head to look at Vivi and Arthur behind him, noticing the addition of Mystery at their feet. They watched him with worried expressions. Arthur, especially. Lewis didn't feel anything different than usual when he looked at them.

Internally, the ghost smirked. The old creep didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Lewis wasn't bound to his friends in any artificial way. He was there by choice. He loved Vivi and Arthur with all his heart, and nothing could break a bond like that.

"Now, ghost, I shall bind you to me!"

Lewis swung his head back around to face the spectrologists. His eyes widened when the old man pulled out some kind of trinket from his robes. It looked like a little heart pendant on a string. A gold locket. Lewis began to struggle against his captors when he realized that these jokers might actually succeed in what they set out to do. While they were wrong about him being bound to Vivi, they obviously had experience in trapping ghosts to do their bidding. He internally cursed at himself for underestimating his opponent.

The two ghosts holding him down didn't stand a chance against Lewis's superior strength, and he quickly broke free and tried to dart toward his friends in an attempt to grab them and escape, but then the man began to chant, and Lewis felt his world grow numb.

The ghost halted in his tracks. His friends stared at him in shock and terror as he slowly turned away from them and back toward the group of robed men. Lewis felt like a spectator, like he wasn't the one in his own body as he slowly walked back toward the old man.

"Stop." The man commanded just as Lewis was a foot away. The ghost halted as told, eyes pinned on the gold necklace.

Behind him, he heard his friends shout, "Lewis, no!" They sounded scared.

Lewis knew that he should ask them what was wrong, but all he could do at the moment was stare at the swaying gold locket in the fist of the head crazy himself.

"Good ghost." The old man said smugly. "Inside this locket, I hold a shard of your anchor. With that shard, I command you. You're mine now." He hissed through yellowed teeth barred in a twisted grin.

Lewis, entranced by the locket, could only nod slowly.

The man lifted the string up and tied the locket around his neck, where it fell against two others; A turquoise sphere and a yellow crescent moon. When he was done, he let his arms fall back to his sides, wincing in pain when his bite wound pinched.

"Now, as your master, I command your every action. Your first command under my rule will be..." the man's twisted grin grew, grotesquely pulling at his features. He raised a gnarled, knobby hand and pointed past Lewis, toward where Arthur, Vivi and Mystery huddled together, watching the events with equal expressions of horror. "Kill those three."


	2. The Wolf (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: mind control, blood/injury
> 
> Lewis is forced to do something horrible, and then does something horrible all on his own.
> 
> (This has a happy ending I swear)
> 
> EDIT: NOW WITH AN ILLUSTRATION!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back one and... well, one. Probably. That's what I get for writing for a hybernating fandom. I can't wait for Hellbent to come out.

_Recap: The man's twisted grin grew, grotesquely pulling at his features. He raised a gnarled, knobby hand and pointed past Lewis, toward where Arthur, Vivi and Mystery huddled together, watching the events with equal expressions of horror. "Kill those three."_

 

* * *

 

Even as his body floated up from the ground and turned to face his friends, Lewis knew in the back of his mind that he shouldn't be doing this. He slowly glided toward the two humans and kitsune, raising his arms threateningly. He watched as Arthur placed himself in front of Vivi, even as his knees quaked and tears filled his eyes.

"Le-lewis, please! S-snap out of it! We're your f-f-friends!" Arthur shouted, voice trembling in his fear. A few tears slipped down his cheeks and he choked back a sob.

Lewis didn't seem to hear him. His eye sockets were empty and dark where they were normally so expressive and bright. The ghost's anchor floated by his chest, grey and dull. His movements were unnaturally focused and fluid, so unlike Lewis's usual charming clumsiness. All three of the living members of Mystery Skulls knew then and there that the ghost floating toward them wasn't their dear friend Lewis.

Flames spread over Lewis's hands without his command. He numbly watched the flickering magenta fire cast eerie shadows over the walls as he poised to strike. Suddenly, Vivi sprang into action. She jumped up, snatched Mystery from the floor and grabbed Arthur's arm. She yanked them away, just barely missing Lewis's fist where it smashed into the stone floor.

"Run!" Vivi cried as she dragged her dog and friend behind her. Arthur seemed to be in some kind of fear-induced paralysis, and was slowing her down. She shot out a foot and kicked him in the shin in an attempt to snap him out of it.

" _Ow_ , Vivi!" Arthur yelped. Vivi ignored him, and instead pushed him in front of her.

"Less whining, more running!" The blue-clad girl shouted. Arthur heeded her advice and began running for his life.

Lewis watched with a muted sense of confusion and horror as his body moved on its own. He gave chase after his friends, who were much too slow to outrun him, but agile enough to dodge his attacks. As big as the chamber was, the only exit was a hidden door, and they had no idea how to open it. They would eventually run out of hiding places. They would eventually slip up.

"Mystery, _what_ the _cheese_ is going on with Lewis?!" Vivi asked the dog in her arms as she and Arthur ducked under a speeding fireball.

"Exspiravit torquem. It's like a mind-control spell. Specifically for ghosts. It ties their soul to yours, and makes them do your bidding. I just don't know how these crackpots learned it! The spell has been lost to humans for centuries!" Mystery explained as discreetly as he could.

Vivi's growl of frustration was cut off by a yelp as a stray wisp of spectral fire landed in her hair. She quickly patted it out and rolled away from the fist that whistled just past her ear. "Well, how do we break the spell?!" She gasped breathlessly.

Mystery whimpered and shook his head. "It's a strong spell. It can be broken by special sage smoke, like what they used, but I don't see any more and I'm not powerful enough to break it myself while I'm on consecrated ground. It's all up to Lewis now, only he can do anything about it. Just give him a little more time!"

Vivi tried to reply, but any words she had on her tongue died when she saw Arthur stumble next to her. Lewis was practically right on top of him. Vivi gasped and grabbed the mechanic's arm, yanking him out of the way just in time. Lewis's attack hit an unfortunate desk, smashing right through the wood as if it was wet paper and cracking the stone under it.

"We don't _have_ time! We're gonna be Mystery Skull pancakes if we don't do something!"

"You can't run forever!" The leader of the spectrologists shouted. He watched gleefully as his new puppet tore after its previous masters, destroying everything in his way. His followers also watched, but with an intense fear. They saw now that this ghost was powerful, more powerful than they had estimated. They weren't sure if their leader was capable of holding it captive forever, especially in his current mental state. They could only watch and wait for everything to crumble.

The two humans and kitsune dove behind a bookcase, but even the sturdy oak barrier was no match for Lewis's fury. Vivi and Arthur just barely got out of the way before the whole thing exploded in a blast of fire. The fleeing group stumbled and fell, but Arthur was quick to cover Vivi as splinters of wood became shrapnel. The mechanic cried out in pain when several large shards of wood imbedded themselves into his flesh. A particularly big one grazed his upper cheek, just barely missing his eye, and he could feel warm blood start gushing down his face. He couldn't take a moment to worry, though, because he could feel the heat of Lewis's spectral fire right at his back.

Arthur quickly scrambled to his feet, but all he could see in front of him was a wall. He'd pushed himself and Vivi into a corner. Heart hammering, the mechanic spun around to face his friend-turned-assailant, sure he was about to die. Even though he was scared out of his mind, Arthur was going to make sure that Lewis had to go through him first, before he got to Vivi or Mystery. He just hoped that the ghost wouldn't feel guilty once he came back to himself.

Lewis towered over them. He was so much bigger than Arthur, and the mechanic had to close his eyes. He didn't want to watch. It used to be comforting, the fact that Lewis was so large and strong. Arthur was easy to scare, and couldn't defend himself well, but Lewis was always there to protect him. Even now that he was dead, Lewis still protected him. It took Arthur a while to realize that, and he still had some trouble trusting that Lewis wasn't going to hurt him, but he was getting better. Now, it seemed all that progress was for naught. Lewis could probably snap his neck with a single flick of his wrist. He wasn't going to last long...

Though, he'd already lasted much longer than he thought he would. Even though those thoughts crossed his mind in a flash, it gave Lewis plenty of time to attack, yet nothing happened. Arthur hesitantly opened his eyes and looked up at the looming skeleton. The ghost was just standing there, arms frozen in a raised position with his flaming hands reaching. Those dark sockets were staring into Arthur's eyes blankly. No, not his eyes, Lewis's head was slightly tilted downward. Arthur realized that the ghost was staring at his still-bleeding wound.

"Le-Lewis? You th-there, buddy?" He whispered, hope coloring his voice. He felt Vivi against his back, looking over his shoulder.

"Lew-lew?" She called as well, sniffling.

Even Mystery added a bark. He couldn't risk talking, lest he expose his true nature to the group still watching them.

Lewis didn't hear them, though. His gaze was fixed on the nasty gash that formed a grizzly line of red across Arthur's face. The sight of it made him freeze. He didn't know why. He was supposed to be doing something, but the growing sense of confusion and horror muddled his already foggy mind.

Arthur was bleeding. Arthur was scared. Why was Arthur scared? He was scared of Lewis, but that couldn't be right. Lewis loved Arthur, and while the mechanic was still nervous and jumpy around him, Lewis knew that Arthur loved him too. They were family. But now, Arthur was terrified of him again. Why? Something wasn't right. He felt all wrong.

Something blue moved behind Arthur, and Lewis's gaze locked with Vivi's. Her eyes were wide and full of tears. She looked just as scared as Arthur did. She had soot all over her face, and what looked like small burns. The sight of the angry red blotches, coupled with the blood running down Arthur's face broke something in Lewis.

His tunnel vision receded, and he was suddenly seeing the whole picture. What he saw was his family right there in front of his eyes. He _hurt_ them. They were _scared_ of him. Lewis promised that he would never harm them ever again, and he failed. He broke his promise.

A sharp _crack_ echoed through the chamber, startling Lewis out of his trance. The ghost looked down at his anchor. There was a deep fissure marring the surface. It flashed between glowing blue and dull grey, beating fast.

Suddenly, Lewis was seeing and thinking with perfect clarity, and he felt tainted. Used. Most of all, he felt _angry_.

The ghost spun around, absolutely livid. He took a flying leap at the man who made him hurt his friends. The rest of the robed men screamed and scattered, and all the madman could do was shriek in surprise as he was tackled to the ground. His head hit the stone floor with a gut-wrenching crack. Stunned, the man could do nothing as fists rained down upon him. One after the other, Lewis dealt blow after blow to his supposed puppeteer's face until he was black, blue and bloody.

It wasn't until two pairs of arms wrapped around his own did he stop. Lewis halted his movements and stared. The familiar blue sleeves of Vivi's sweatshirt and the mismatched arms of Arthur pulled at him, trying to move him away from the motionless body beneath him. He could hear them screaming his name, but they sounded far away.

The red in Lewis's vision faded, and he could only stare in horror at what he'd done. The ghost let out a deep, pained wail before leaping away from the bloody mess. Lewis backed away until his back hit a wall, yet it wasn't far enough. He could still see the damage as clear as day. The ghost made a strangled sound before sinking to his knees. He grabbed his skull and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block the image.

"No... No no no nono," Lewis whispered hysterically. With each repeated word, his speech became more and more garbled until it sounded almost like static.

He _killed_ someone. He, Lewis Pepper, just killed a man. He was supposed to be getting better! He wasn't mad at Arthur anymore. He didn't feel the need to blow up at every inconvenience. He hasn't started any accidental fires in months! He was good now. He was kind. He was gentle. He wasn't supposed to _kill_ people! He wasn't supposed to hurt his friends, either!

A distorted keening filled Lewis's ears. It took him a while to realize that the sound was coming from him, along with another much more alarming noise. The cracking of his anchor. With each sob that wracked his body, a hairline fracture formed in the dark blue heart as it beat fast. Lewis watched numbly as they spread across the smooth surface. Usually it hurt when his anchor cracked, but for some reason, Lewis couldn't feel anything. He wished he did. Anything to take his mind off of what he'd done.

Lewis saw a flash of blue in the corner of his vision, then orange, but he didn't look away from his broken heart, though the glimpses did register in his mind. Arthur and Vivi. They were still there with him. Oh god, what did they think of him? He just killed someone. They were probably terrified of him, just like they were while he was attacking them. The memory of what he did to his friends caused the cracks to spread faster, and made him cry harder. Vivi probably hated him. Arthur wouldn't trust him ever again. He just knew that he shattered what little progress they'd made.

"Lewis!"

The ghost was startled out of his misery by a shout and a small hand entering his line of sight. The hand, which he identified as Vivi's, wrapped around his anchor and pulled it out of his grip. When had he grabbed it? Lewis didn't recall holding it in his hand. The ghost reluctantly looked up at the blue-clad girl, afraid of what he would see on her face.

What Lewis saw wasn't what he expected. Vivi was crying, yes, but she looked more worried than scared. Scratch that, she looked absolutely terrified, but not of him, it seemed. Arthur was crouched right next to Vivi. He now had Lewis's anchor and looked completely lost as to what he should be doing with it. He looked frantic and scared, but, like Vivi, not in the way he was before.

Mystery suddenly came into view, squeezing between Vivi and Arthur so he could get to the ghost. "Lewis, _stop_!" The dog shouted. "Whatever you're doing, what ever you're thinking, you have to stop! You're hurting yourself!"

Lewis ignored the dog, and just stared at the two humans crouched in front of him. Stared at the red patches of burned skin on Vivi's face and the blackened part of her hair. Stared at Arthur's bleeding cuts and splinters. The ghost continued to fix his gaze on his friends' injuries, hyper aware of how exactly they got them. It hurt to think about. It hurt a lot. He felt like his soul was folding in on itself. Imploding into nothing.

"Lewis?" Vivi whispered, waving her hand in front of the ghost's eye sockets. He didn't respond. He just continued to tremble and stare without a word. Even his sobs had stopped, leaving an awful silence. "Lewis!" Vivi tried again. She patted his cheekbone, trying to get a response. "Lewis! Please, tell me what's wrong! How can I help?!"

Lewis finally spoke, though his eyes didn't stray from Arthur's still-bleeding gash. "You're hurt... I hurt you..." The ghost whispered. His chest heaved as if he were hyperventilating, but no breath left him. Glowing purple tears flowed from his eye sockets. "I... I... K-killed him..." suddenly, Lewis's skull shot up and stared Vivi in the eyes. They were wild and unfocused. " _I **killed** him!_ " He screamed. His voice was loud, distorted, and echoed over itself repeatedly.

Vivi looked shaken and confused for a moment after Lewis's outburst. Then, her face lit up in realization. "Lewis, no! You didn't! H-he's alive! Just unconscious. You did a number on him, but he's alive!"

Lewis's eyes looked a little brighter, hopeful. He tried to look around her, to see the man he attacked, but all he saw was Mystery and Arthur fiddling with his anchor before Vivi grabbed the sides of his skull and forced him to look back at her.

"No, don't look. It's not a pretty sight. You're already messed up, you don't need to see it. All you need to know is that he's _alive_. You _didn't_ kill anyone." She said slowly and firmly. "Do you understand?" Lewis could only nod slowly. Vivi gave a little smile. "Good. Now, you're going to get ahold of yourself, and stop trying to destroy your own anchor. We need you here, Lew. You can't leave us, not over a couple splinters and a sunburn."

Again, Lewis nodded. The painful pressure in his chest began to recede, and he felt as if he had been holding his breath despite not needing to breathe. His friends were okay. A little worse for wear, but breathing and _alive_.

Lewis suddenly reached out and wrapped his arms around Vivi. She squeaked in surprise and tensed up, but quickly relaxed into the embrace and returned it. Lewis's body still shook with sobs, but they weren't the heart-wrenching wails they had been moments before. The ghost let go of Vivi with one arm and reached around blindly until he felt Arthur's poofy vest against his fingers. He grabbed a handful of the material and yanked the blond toward him. Arthur yelped in surprise as he was suddenly pulled into the hug as well. Mystery was next.

Lewis just sat there on the cold floor with his best friends in his arms. They fit so well against him, and he never wanted to let go. The events of the past half hour made him remember how fragile humans were. Vivi and Arthur were tough, but they weren't invincible. Lewis silently promised to do better next time. He would protect his friends from everything, even himself.

"As much as I enjoy all this affection, I need to finish healing your anchor for the second time today." Mystery said, his voice muffled by the cloth of Lewis's suit.

Lewis relaxed the arm that was pinning the kitsune to him and let Mystery wriggle out. When Arthur moved to leave as well, Lewis tightened his arms again. He shook his skull and gave his friends a squeeze.

"Nope, not you. Mystery is magic so he gets to leave. You have to stay. You're staying right here on the floor with me forever." Lewis mumbled into Arthur's hair.

 

 

The blond chuckled at the ghost's antics and relaxed against him with a sigh of something akin to relief. Arthur wrapped his lanky arms as far around Lewis as he could reach, practically snuggling into the man's black suit. It was moments like these, as rare as they were nowadays, that Arthur was thankful Lewis was a vengeful ghost. If he was anything else, he wouldn't wield fire, and he wouldn't be warm to the touch. It wasn't the warmth of human skin, it was more like hugging a blanket fresh from the dryer. Hot, but not uncomfortably so.

Arthur snorted in amusement at his own thoughts. When Lewis hummed questioningly, he voiced them. "You're laundry."

The sound Lewis made wasn't so much a laugh as it was a wheeze. How he could make such a noise without lungs was anyone's guess. What followed was the familiar, booming laugh that only Lewis Pepper could make. To anyone else it would have sounded terrifying, as his voice echoed eerily, but to Vivi and Arthur, it was the best sound in the world.

"What does that even mean?" Lewis managed to say between laughs, and Arthur blushed.

"W-well, you know how it's nice to lay in fresh laundry? You-you're that. You're laundry." The blond stuttered out, embarrassed.

Lewis continued to laugh for a minute or two before he settled down. "Ah, man. That's ridiculous. I love it." He snickered.

The ghost was silent for a moment before he gave his friends a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of each head in his arms. They looked up at him and saw a human face staring back at them. His black and purple eyes were shining with mirth and admiration. "You guys... you guys are the best. I love you both so much." Lewis said quietly, then his affectionate smile turned sad. "It's been a while since I've said that, hasn't it?" The sadness was gone as quickly as it came, and his grin was back. "But its still true. You are the best friends I could ever ask for, and I'm sorry I was such a jerk when I first came back, especially to you, Arthur." Lewis's glowing gaze focused on the mentioned man with a sad, guilty look. "You didn't deserve it. I treated you like a criminal when you weren't at fault. I hope you believe me when I say that I'm sorry."

Arthur sniffled and rubbed his teary eyes with a weak chuckle. "Look at that, you made me cry." He looked back up at his friend, a watery smile on his face. "You know what, Lewis? I _do_ believe you, and I love you too, big guy." The blond mechanic said sincerely before hugging his friend again.

Vivi squealed and fell against both of them, a huge grin on her face. "It's so good to hear you two make up! I love both my boys!" She cried happily. She pressed a kiss to Arthur's forehead while he squawked indignantly. She tried to give Lewis one as well, but he was out of her reach. "Get down here, you giant! I'm trying to keep the moment going!"

Lewis laughed and bent down so she could kiss his head too. She looked pleased with herself after and initiated yet another hug.

"Alright, alright, love fest over. We have a mess to clean up." Came Mystery's voice.

The two humans and ghost broke apart so they could look at Mystery. He sat beside Lewis's anchor. It was completely fixed and shining gold once more.

Vivi pouted. "These bozos aren't going anywhere." She objected.

Mystery rolled his eyes. "That may be so, but bozo numero uno needs medical attention." He gestured to where the old man Lewis attacked lay motionless.

Lewis stared in surprise at the carnage around him. There were scorch marks everywhere, and broken shelves and desks. The sight of it made him wince, but the real surprise came from the four ghost-obsessed nuts unconscious against the wall in a row.

"Wait, what happened to them?" Lewis asked.

Vivi grinned and popped her knuckles. "After you beat up their leader, the rest lost their nerve. They were easy to knock out."

"Yes, yes, you did a good job, Vivi, but we need to call for help." Mystery interjected again.

Vivi huffed angrily, giving the dog a glare as she pulled out her phone. "No service. We'll have to go outside to call an ambulance and the cops. C'mon, Mystery. Let's figure out how to get out of here."

While Vivi and the kitsune searched the room for a switch, Lewis and Arthur stood side by side in a comfortable silence. They turned to each other, Arthur having to look up at his much taller friend. Lewis smiled down at Arthur, eyes shining in the way that indicated that he was truly happy. The blond mechanic returned with a grin of his own. Lewis couldn't remember the last time that Arthur looked this happy. He only wished it hadn't taken this long to make it happen.

"Hey, guys! Come on, we can leave now!" Came Vivi's shout from the other side of the chamber.

"Everyone is just all about ruining happy moments today, aren't they?" Arthur remarked as the two headed across the room.

A shuffling sound came from where they left the remaining spectrologists. Lewis spun around to face them, fists igniting with spectral fire. One of them was awake and looking at them. He looked young, younger than the rest of them, at least. He had red hair and a freckled face with hazel eyes that were wide in fear. He didn't try to get up, especially in the face of a menacing ghost.

"Vivi! You missed one!" Arthur called, standing just slightly behind Lewis.

"What?!" They heard Vivi squawk. It wasn't long before she came back through the door to the chamber and marched over.

The definitely-conscious man became alarmed and raised his hands placatingly. "W- _Wait_! I'm surrendering! Just don't hit me again!"

Vivi halted next to Lewis and glared down at the man. "Well, I guess it's a good thing one of you is awake. We needed an interrogation to complete this job correctly." She leaned over and jabbed a finger at the cowering redhead, who flinched away from her. "So start talking."

The man nodded vigorously. "O-okay! What do you want to know?"

Vivi smirked, pleased. "Well, first thing's first, what is your name and the name of your little gathering?" She asked.

"Ah- my name is J-Jonathan Crow, and the group doesn't really have a name. We just called ourselves ectologists."

Vivi nodded and scribbled in a slightly singed notepad she pulled out of her sweatshirt pocket. Before she could ask another question, Lewis spoke up.

"What were you planning to do with those bound ghosts and how do I break their spell?" He demanded, disgust twisting his features into a grimace.

Jonathan flinched at the sound of Lewis's voice, and trembled as he answered. "I-I don't know." At the ghost's glare, he tensed up and waved his hands frantically. "Honest! Monty never told us what he wanted to do with the ghosts he was collecting!" The man's frantic, scared expression turned to one of guilt and sadness. "The truth is, this group wasn't always like this. When I first joined, I just wanted to learn more about ghosts. It was a passion of mine, and when I heard about a team of ectologists here who were doing amazing work with the supernatural, I just had to come. But not long after I joined, things started to change. Monty found that Exspiravit torquem spell, and then suddenly everything was about power. H-he's never tried to kill anyone before. I think that spell did something to him..."

Vivi hummed thoughtfully, mulling over Jonathan's words. "It is possible. Some spells can cause the caster side effects. It's not all that far-fetched to think that the spell could have driven him crazy, especially if he cast it multiple times." She wrote something down before turning away. "You guys take over, I'm gonna go ask our local wise ancient creature what he knows." She began to walk away, leaving her two friends with three unconscious guys and a terrified redhead.

Jonathan watched Vivi walk away before looking fearfully back up at the ghost still looming over him. Lewis immediately felt guilty for scaring the man. He obviously didn't want anything to do with the past events. Lewis sighed and let the fire encasing his hands fade. He slowly sat down on the cold stone floor, trying not to make any sudden movements. Once he was somewhat level to the man in front of him, Lewis gave him an easy smile.

"Sorry about that. I'm just very protective of my friends." He said gently.

Lewis's suddenly kind demeanor put Jonathan on edge, but still made him relax somehow. He looked confused. "Friends? You mean, you're not bound to them?" He asked shakily.

Lewis kept his smile on his face despite the disgust that tried to show itself. "Of course not. I'm with them by choice. I was friends with them in life, and I will continue to be their friend, even in death."

Jonathan slowly leaned forward, looking fascinated. "But you're a vengeful ghost. You're an angry spirit by nature, formed from the fires of betrayal and murder. I've _never_ seen one as calm as you are! You should be seething with rage!" The man exclaimed.

In the corner of his vision, Lewis saw Arthur curl into himself from where he sat beside him. The ghost frowned and reached out an arm, wrapped it around the blond, and pulled him against his side. Lewis then directed the frown to Jonathan and gave him a pointed look as he rubbed a hand over Arthur's back in soothing circles.

"We don't like to talk about how I died. All that matters is that I've resolved my anger, and I no longer have any reason to be angry about the circumstances surrounding my death." Lewis said firmly.

Jonathan gulped nervously and glanced away. "S-sorry. It must be a touchy topic for You. I haven't talked to many ghosts."

Lewis sighed and closed his eyes, trying to bring back his smile. "It's fine, just don't bring it up again." He opened his eyes again and fixed Jonathan with a more neutral expression. "Alright, back to that interrogation." Lewis nudged Arthur and held out his hand. The blond mechanic patted himself down until he found his notepad and gave it to the ghost. "Thanks, Artie." He turned back to Jonathan with a bored look. "Now, are you using this church as your base with or without the owner's consent?"

While the two talked, Arthur groaned and dropped his head onto Lewis's shoulder. "These always take _forever_..." he griped.

 

* * *

 

Sometime later, the four members of the Mystery Skulls all stood by and watched the police handle the spectrologists. Each one that had regained consciousness was handcuffed and put into a squad car. As for Jonathan, Vivi had vouched for him, saying that he was an unwilling accessory to a kidnapping and attempted murder. Monty Escad, the founder of the group, was picked up by an ambulance some time before.

Lewis had asked the paramedics if he was going to be okay, and was told, to his relief, that the old man would live. He would have some facial disfiguration, but miraculously he didn't seem to be suffering from any brain damage. Vivi and Arthur were patched up as well. Lewis felt a little better now that Arthur no longer had splinters of wood jutting from his skin and had his cuts covered in bandages. Vivi was better off than he was, and only needed some ointment for her burns.

It was around an hour later, after a lot of questions from the police, that the Mystery Skulls were finally left alone. Lewis made a noise like a sigh and sat down in the patchy grass that grew around the church. He held out one of his hands, where three pendants on strings sat. Two of them glowed, while the heart-shaped locket only glinted in the sun as gold usually does.

"You'll be free soon, guys." He murmured to the lockets.

Mystery padded up to Lewis's side and placed a paw on the ghost's leg. "They've been bound for a long while, Lewis. They vanished once their keeper lost consciousness and I don't know if they'll stick around once that connection is severed. They'll likely disappear." The dog warned.

Lewis didn't look away from the little pendants in his palm. "Anything is better than being forced to stay." He murmured sadly. The ghost then closed his hand gently over the charms and stood up. He dusted himself off and turned to his waiting friends. "Let's get out of here so we can break this awful spell."

With that, the Skulls moved out. As soon as they were off consecrated ground and in the forest where they wouldn't be seen, Lewis gave the pendants to Mystery. The dog gently took them in his mouth before backing a distance away. Before their eyes, he grew five times his size and six tails sprouted from his backside and fanned behind him. The regal-looking creature that was left was even taller than Lewis and practically radiated magic.

"Arthur, Vivi, you should probably close your eyes." Mystery warned as his eyes flashed pure red.

The two humans obeyed, but Lewis kept his open, as most things didn't hurt his eyes. It was a good thing he did, because the light that poured from Mystery's mouth and flowed like fire around him was beautiful. He could barely see the kitsune through the brightness, but he could hear the sound of something shatter, then another.

As quickly as it came, the light was gone. Mystery bent his head and gently dropped the necklaces on the ground. Lewis approached and watched as the still-glowing bits of pendant began to fade back into dull metal. Two smoke-like wisps of light flowed upward from the shattered charms. One was turquoise, like tropical waters. The other was a pale yellow, like sunshine. Lewis stared as the wisps faded into nothing with a sound akin to a sigh.

The ghost was startled from his trance by two hands landing on his shoulders. Lewis saw his friends on either side of him, smiling sadly. Lewis smiled back at them and rubbed the back of his hand over his teary eyes.

"I'm fine, guys." He said. "I just wish humans and the supernatural had a better understanding of each other, then maybe things like this wouldn't happen." Lewis sighed and curled a hand over his anchor, which glowed a sad, pale blue.

After a moment or two of silence, Lewis suddenly wrapped an arm around each of his human friends and hoisted them into the air. Vivi and Arthur both yelped in alarm as they were swept off their feet and carried like sacks of flour by their much larger friend. Lewis laughed heartily and lifted up off the ground into a hover.

"You guys aren't like them! You understand me. You are patient and willing to put up with my ghostly quirks. You'll always be there for me, and I will always be there for you! Now, enough moping. We're going back to the manor and you two are going to take it easy. I'll make some homemade ice cream." Lewis announced loudly. "Come on, Mystery! I'll make something extra tasty for you, too!"

With that, Lewis flew his friends through the forest and back to his manor, Mystery bounding gracefully behind him. He still felt bad about what happened, and his friends would likely have some problems after what he did, but he knew that they'd get through it together. They always do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Told you it had a happy ending! I finally got around to drawing goshdang Yaoi Hands McMike and his squad so!!!!! tell me what you think.
> 
> Anyways, leave a review please! They're the highlight of my day.


	3. Because of the Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The people of Tempo were used to Mystery Skull shenanigans, especially now that one of their members was a ghost. What they didn't know was how one day at the fair could cause so much chaos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one this time. I just wanted to get something posted. I'm working on several other much longer drabbles, don't worry.

The county fair in Tempo, Texas was always a treat. It came in the spring, when it wasn't too hot to be outside like it was during the summer. A vacant lot in the center of town that was used for events and the like was transformed into a colorful wonderland of rigged games, rickety rides, sugary food, hyper children, and exhausted parents.

The Mystery Skulls went to the fair every year. A day of fun was always just what the doctor ordered, and it left them happy and raring to take on another mystery.

With Tempo being on the smaller side, everyone knew each other, so of course the Skulls were notorious. Everybody knew about the supernatural kooks, though not everyone thought them crazy. Fortunately- or unfortunately, depending on who you asked- when the town was pulled into an alternate reality by a wayward rift jumper, and then later returned to its proper place by none other than the Skulls, people sang a different tune. From then on, everyone loved the Skulls. They were welcomed with open arms everywhere they went, and Pepper Paradiso began putting up articles detailing their exploits and adventures. People often visited to read all about their latest shenanigans.

When Lewis died, the whole town went into shock. Everything about the Skulls seemed to be like some cartoon to them. They always prevailed. There was never any real danger. The townspeople might have believed in the supernatural, but it wasn't until that fateful day that they began to take it seriously.

Luckily, when Vivi and Arthur one day returned from a long trip with a very familiar face in tow, the townspeople were happy to accept Lewis back, even if he was a ghost. Things almost went back to normal. The Skulls didn't even bother to hide Lewis' ghostly nature. The man floated around town often, and people merely said hello or good morning to him as he passed. He was the same kind, goofy man they all knew.

Not everyone saw it that way, as a few particularly bitter people avoided him like the plague, but the majority accepted Lewis as he was. It helped that they didn't know of the reason he came back, soul festering in hatred and the yearning for revenge against his best friend. That was all behind them, anyway, so there was no need to mention that Lewis didn't rise with good intentions. He was there and nothing about him had changed once he got past his anger, so they let it be.

For newcomers, though, things got complicated. The mayor met with any new families moving in and told them to pay the spooky purple glowing mansion on the hill outside town a visit once they settled in. Vivi, Arthur, and Lewis would happily greet the newcomers and give them a lovely housewarming gift and explain their situation. They weren't always believed, but belief came with time when it came to something so fantastical.

Then the fair came for the first time after Lewis returned, and people invited their family from out of town to enjoy the festivities as they always did. Vivi and Arthur had to perform some major damage control after a few outsiders fainted when they saw a floating purple-haired man in a fancy black suit absolutely demolish the Spilled Milk game. Lewis had missed, of course, but ended up sending the wayward ball into mach 1, and caused a sonic boom that shattered the dunk tank. He chose a huge stuffed duck for Arthur. He then broke the High Striker game and gave Vivi the stuffed cat he won. After popping/melting every balloon in the balloon darts game, they were politely told that they were banned from playing fair games.

Vivi and Arthur were bummed that they weren't able to play, but the absolutely beaming grin on Lewis' face made the whole thing worth it.

Unfortunately, after that display, word got out that there was a real not-live ghost just hanging out in Tempo. Curious tourists would come from miles around to see if they could catch a glimpse of Lewis. While most people would accept the potential business the tourists brought with open arms, the people of Tempo didn't see it that way.

Lewis was a friend to all, and was still a resident of Tempo, dead or no. He didn't deserve to be gawked at like some kind of zoo animal. So, if any suspicious people were seen snooping around, asking about the ghost, all residents would deny Lewis' existence. He appreciated it, but he always told them that he didn't mind. The tourism would bring extra money into Tempo, so eventually the residents stopped turning tourists away, but they didn't specifically tell them where to find Lewis. Most of the time no one could tell that he was a ghost unless they noticed that his feet were always an inch or two above the ground, or looked him in the eye to see a void of black.

Even a few ghost hunters swept through Tempo, but they were either told that Lewis was a permanent resident and they had no want to have him exorcised, or his existence was hidden for a day or two until the hunters left.

Soon enough, the Mystery Skulls themselves were gaining publicity. They began receiving jobs from people all over the country, and their business was booming. Soon after that, the tourists stopped coming for the supposed ghost, and came instead for the charm of Tempo itself. The jobs kept coming, and the town was doing well, all because of the fair.

So, of course, when it came fair time again, Pepper Paradiso set up a booth where Lewis could show off and make spicy funnel cakes with his spectral fire. This time all fair games stayed intact, and no baseballs were sent into orbit.

 


End file.
